'''Q.''' Some of the kids in the afterschool program that meets in our library are asking about "street lit." What is this and what are some resources for building a small collection?

'''Q.''' Some of the kids in the afterschool program that meets in our library are asking about "street lit." What is this and what are some resources for building a small collection?

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'''A.''' Street Lit, sometimes called Urban Fiction or Hip Hop Fiction or even Ghetto Fiction, is one of the fastest-growing new literary genres, along with chick lit and graphic novels, which has public libraries across the country "purchasing aggressively" and doing "large annual backlist orders to catch up with demand," according to [http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6305540.html ''Library Journal'''s 2006 Book Buying Survey article, "Budgets Rebound," by Barbara Hoffert].

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'''A.''' Street Lit, sometimes called Urban Fiction or Hip Hop Fiction or even Ghetto Fiction, is one of the fastest-growing new literary genres. According to [http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6305540.html the ''Library Journal'' 2006 Book Buying Survey article, "Budgets Rebound," by Barbara Hoffert] (emphasis <b>added</b>):

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The Fall 2006 issue of Young Adult Library Services: The Official Journal of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALS) includes the featured article, "Street Lit: Flying Off Teen Fiction Bookshelves in Philadelphia Public Libraries," by Vanessa Morris M.S.L.S., Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Ph.D., Denise P. Agosto, Ph.D., and Darren T. Cottman, MLIS, which includes a history of the genre and a report on its ever-growing popularity among teens in libraries, including its use in book clubs. These titles provide a vivid familiarity with the settings, situations, and relationships in which these teens inhabit, providing a validation and reflection of their outer and inner lives that few other teen media outlets consider. Not all titles handle these topics the same, and some titles clearly mean well in the face of imperfect execution of their stories. Other titles are letter-perfect and are celebrated by teens and young adults (and older adults) nationwide for their themes, plots, characters, and/or humor. Teens do discern the varying levels of effectiveness; asking and discussion of likes and dislikes of individual stories and authors help spark the creation of expectations in literature itself for these readers, with the reading of more and more titles developing and individualizing those expectations into further self-knowledge and personal expression.

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<blockquote>Aside from chick lit, rapidly expanding areas include graphic novels (not all fiction, of course) and African American fiction... In addition, from the Central Arkansas Library System, Little Rock, where African American fiction tops the list of subjects where expenditures are rising, to Houston PL, which must do large annual backlist orders to catch up with demand, African American works, particularly fiction, are on the move. <b>A burgeoning segment of that market is street lit, which many of <i>LJ</i>'s respondents have begun purchasing aggressively, turning to nontraditional sources for information and ignoring the absence of reviews that for many was initially a stumbling block</b>.</blockquote>

There was a sequel of sorts at the 2006 Annual Conference, at which Barbara Hoffert, Editor of the Book Review, Library Journal, moderated the panel discussion, which featured authors Tracy Brown, Deja King, Meta Smith, and Timothy Williams.

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Library Journal has tracked the growing pains of the genre in the following articles and blog postings:

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Can Fiction Matter? Reflections on Street Lit

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Library Journal blog, In the Bookroom

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September 22, 2005

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Street Lit Takes a Hit

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Francine Fialkoff, Editor February 1, 2006

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http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6299839.html

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An African American author raps the genre, but librarians defend it

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Blacks and Books

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The [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/yalsapubs/yals/tocv5n1.htm Fall 2006 issue of ''Young Adult Library Services: The Official Journal of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALS)''] includes the featured article, "Street Lit: Flying Off Teen Fiction Bookshelves in Philadelphia Public Libraries," by Vanessa Morris M.S.L.S.; Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Ph.D.; Denise P. Agosto, Ph.D.; and Darren T. Cottman, MLIS. The article includes a history of the genre and a report on its ever-growing popularity among teens in libraries, including its use in teen book clubs.

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Library Journal blog, In the Bookroom -Street Lit category

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http://bookblog.libraryjournal.com/blog/category/street-lit

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November 13, 2006

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The article explains that this genre's titles show a vivid familiarity with the settings, situations, and relationships in which these urban teens inhabit, providing a validation and reflection of their outer and inner lives that few other teen media outlets consider. Not all titles handle these topics the same, and some titles clearly mean well in the face of imperfect execution of their stories. Other titles are letter-perfect and are celebrated by teens and young adults (and older adults) nationwide for their themes, plots, characters, and/or humor. Teens do discern the varying levels of effectiveness; asking and discussion of likes and dislikes of individual stories and authors help spark the creation of expectations in literature itself for these readers, with the reading of more and more titles developing and individualizing those expectations into further self-knowledge and personal expression.

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Library Journal also presented a panel on Street Lit during the 2006 rendition of its annual Day of Dialog for Publishers, Vendors, and Librarians event, held May 18, 2006, at the National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, in collaboration with the District of Columbia Public Library. Wilda Williams, Fiction Editor, moderated a discussion among Malaika Adero, Senior Editor, Atria Books; Melody Guy, Senior Editor, Ballantine, One World, Strivers Row; Pat James, Coordinator of Collection Services, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; Karen Quinones Miller, Author, Satin Nights, (Warner, July 2006); and Karen Thomas, Editorial Director, Dafina Books. A recap available on the Library Journal web site lists the authors and book titles that were mentioned in the course of the discussion.

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[[Street Lit Author Panels/Events]]

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There's an entry for the genre on the Library Success wiki, which includes dozens of both library professional and general information online resources, including reading lists, links to publishers web sites, review periodicals, and dozens of other general and professional librarian online resources, at:

Aside from chick lit, rapidly expanding areas include graphic novels (not all fiction, of course) and African American fiction... In addition, from the Central Arkansas Library System, Little Rock, where African American fiction tops the list of subjects where expenditures are rising, to Houston PL, which must do large annual backlist orders to catch up with demand, African American works, particularly fiction, are on the move. A burgeoning segment of that market is street lit, which many of LJ's respondents have begun purchasing aggressively, turning to nontraditional sources for information and ignoring the absence of reviews that for many was initially a stumbling block.

The article explains that this genre's titles show a vivid familiarity with the settings, situations, and relationships in which these urban teens inhabit, providing a validation and reflection of their outer and inner lives that few other teen media outlets consider. Not all titles handle these topics the same, and some titles clearly mean well in the face of imperfect execution of their stories. Other titles are letter-perfect and are celebrated by teens and young adults (and older adults) nationwide for their themes, plots, characters, and/or humor. Teens do discern the varying levels of effectiveness; asking and discussion of likes and dislikes of individual stories and authors help spark the creation of expectations in literature itself for these readers, with the reading of more and more titles developing and individualizing those expectations into further self-knowledge and personal expression.